William f



W. P. EDWARDS.

Patented Apr. 24, 1883.

Y No. 276,167.

FIG.V A`L.

FIG/71.

Aram Ormea..

WILLIAM F. EDWARDS, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF TWO-THIR S TO GEORGE QUIGLEY AND PETER T. SCHULTZ, BOTH OF SAME PLACE.

SHIPPING-TAG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 276,167, dated April 24, 1883.

Application filed December 1, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, WILLIAM F. EDWARDS, a citizen of the United States, residing at'Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shipping-Tags, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The object of my invention is to furnish a tag, card, or label that can be used by a oonsignor for shipping boxes, barrels, and other receptacles containing goods of any kind, and

then employed by a consignee for returning to the owner the empties, as they are technically termed. To accomplish this result I construct the tag of stiff paper, sheetmetal, or other suitable material or materials, and write, print, or otherwise display on its face the names and addresses both of the consignor and ccnsignee, which inscriptions are preferably disposed longitudinally of the tag. Furthermore, I provide the head of the tag with a pair of keepers, and fit therein a shiftable slide having printed near one end the words Frcmff To, while the opposite end of said slide displays the words To, From, these inscriptions being arranged so as to be exposed at the face of the tag. When the box or other receptacle is first shipped, this slide is so disposed as to bring the word From inline with the address of the consignor, and the word To in line with the address of the consignee; but when the empty is to be returned, said slide is so adjusted as to bring the other word From 7 in line with the address of the cousignee, while the other word To is inline with the address of the consignor, thereby indicating that the package is to be sent back to the party who shipped it, as hereinafter more fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

My invention further consists in providing the shiftable slide with a pair of shoulders that limit its play in either direction, as hereinafter more fully described, and pointed out in the claims. l

Another feature of my invention consistsin providing the shiftable slide with two holes, through either one of which, and also through ahole in the tag, is passed the cord or tack wherewith the device is secured to a box or other shipping package or receptacle, as hereinafter more fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the annexed drawings, Figure l shows the face of my improved tag, the slide being set to indicate the party to whom the box is to be shipped. Fig.2 is aplan of a portion of the under side of said tag. Fig. 3 is another face view of the tag, but showing the slide shifted to indicate that the box is to be returned to the consiguor. Fig. 4 is a plan of `a portion ofthe under side of said tag. t Figs.

5 and 6 are respectively face and under side views of a modification of the tag. Fig. 7 is a plan of the under side of a modified form ofl the slide. Fig. 8 is a face view of the same `detached from the tag, card, or label.

My card, label, or tag consists of a head, A, and two tablets, B C, said head being perforated at a, to admit the tack, cord, or other fastening device, while the tablets .are ruled, respectively, at b o, to indicate where the addresses of the consignor and consignee are to be written 5 but when a great number of the tags are to be used the proper addresses may be printed, stenoiled, or otherwise portrayed on said tablets. The head A is slotted longitudinally in four places, so as to afford two loops or keepers, D E, which serve to retain the shifter or slide F, the preferred shape of the latter bein g shown in Figs. 2 and et. Reference to these illustrations will show that the slide is a long narrow strip of material with a lateral projection, G, having two shoulders, g g',

that serve as stops to limit the play of said slides in either direction. Furthermore, this slide has two holes, H H', either one of which can be brought in line with the aperture a of the tag, according to the direction in which said slide is shifted. The slide has printed on its face the words From/7 To, and To, From,77 these inscriptions being arranged as seen in Fig. 8.

To use this tag the ends of slide F are inserted in the keepers D E, and said slide is shifted until the shoulder g strikes against the keeper E, asseen in Fig. 2, which act brings the word IFrom in line with the address on tablet B, while the word To is in IOG line with the address of tablet C, thus showing at a glance the name of the shipper and party to whom the package is sent. (See Fig. 1.) Furthermore, when the slide is in this position, its hole B is coincident with the hole a of the tag, and the attaching cord or tack being now passed through these holes H a, accidental shifting of said slide is el't'ectually guarded against. As soon as it is desired to return the box or other empty7 to the consigner the tack is Withdrawn and the slide shifted as far as the shoulder or stop g will allow, as seen in Fig. 4, which changed position of said slide brings the other word From 7 in line with tablet C, and the other word To77 in line with tablet B, thus exactly reversi@- the directions of the tag, and showing that the box is to be shipped back to the party who sent it, as represented in Fig. 3. In this new position of the slide its hole H is coincident with the hole a, so as to receive the cord, tack, or other retaining device.

The above is a description of the preferred construction of my tag; but the device maybe modified, as seen in Figs. 5 and 6, where the slide or shifter is adapted to have a reciprocating rotary movement, being pivoted to the tag at I.

Fig. 7 represents the slide as a plain strip of material without any lateral projection, the holes H H being located along the median line of said slide, which may be of a different color to the tag, so as to contrast therewith.

Whichever' construction is adopted, it is apparent that the slide, being situated between the tag and box or other receptacle, is notliable to be rubbed or otherwise injured, and when the tag is tacked down at all corners there is no chance of the slide being detached.

In some eases the tag and slide may be made said devices may consist either ofraised orsunken letters. This moditcation of the invention would render the tag especially adapted for use on railroads, so as to designate the proper disposition to be made of freight-cars.

Instead ot' the words From7 and 'Io, the slide or shifter may be inscribed with any other Words, characters, or devices capable of conveying the same meaning. Finally, the slide may be shifted longitudinally of the tag, card, or label, or equivalent device.

I claim as my invention- 1. An improved shipping tag, label, or card of suitable material, having two separate lines or series of lines or spaces for address upon its -Trnt face, one space for the shipper and the other space for the consignee, and provided with a shil'table slide for changing the character of address, so that the same card, tag, or label shall serve to forward goods or articles to market and for the return of the empty case to the shipper, substantially as herein described.

2. A shipping tag, card, or label consisting of the head A a, tablets B C, keepers D E, and inscribed slide or shifter F, the latter beingV pierced vwith a pair of holes, H H', for the purpose specified.

3. A shipping tag, card, or label consisting of the head A a, tablets B C, keepers D E, and inscribed shifter or slide F, which latter has an extension, G, provided with shoulders g g', and perforations H H', for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereofI aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM F. EDWARDS.

Witnesses:

J AMES H. LAYMAN,

of sheet metal, and the inscriptions en both of SAML. S. CARPENTER. 

